Starting Over
by jadesunset
Summary: Amity Park has been destroyed by an onslaught of ghosts, and the few survivors are trying to pick-up the pieces.  How does a Halfa fit into this new order?
1. Chapter 1

**Background: Amity Park has been attacked by a sudden onslaught of ghosts. The town has been destroyed, and most of the citizens have been lost. The few survivors have found temporary shelter in the forests outside of town. This story takes place after PP.**

**I do not own Danny Phantom or any of the other characters from the series.**

As the fire weakly crackled at the center of the crowd, the lost expressions of each person's face were emphasized by drawn shadows. The tension could be felt as everyone tried to cope with their new reality. Several members of the small band sat huddled by the flames, fixating on the embers as an escape from their own desperate thoughts. A few murmured quietly to one another. Others paced just outside of the group, vacillating between the site and the surrounding trees. One gentleman, a stout man in his fifties, stared out into the bleak forest. Without a single glance at the group, he simply walked away and out of sight. A young man and his daughter watched as he left, but didn't dare say a word. No one did.

Everyone knew it was only a matter of time before the contemplative quiet was broken with a renewed sense of panic. Everything they each knew was now gone: their homes, their loved ones. Basic necessities such as food and water were no longer a guarantee. Although many had managed to survive the destruction, they were a shattered community. Without outside communication, there was no method of contacting help. For all they knew, the surrounding cities had met the same fate as the quiet town of Amity Park.

"What now…?"

Daniel Fenton was pulled from his thoughts by the choked whisper from across the fire pit. Danny looked up through his dirty bangs to see the bruised and tear stained face of Dash Baxter. Crouched on the dirt with his knees tucked in, Dash barely resembled his usual hulking frame. He sniffed loudly before burying his face in his arms, trying to stop another wave of tears.

Despite their history, Danny couldn't help but feel for the resident sport idol. Dash sat completely alone, having lost his entire family (including his beloved dog, Pookie). All of the anger Danny had been harboring against Dash for his years of torment slowly faded away as he saw not a bully, or a self-absorbed idiot, but a boy with no one.

Dash lifted his face momentarily and returned Danny's gaze from across the fire. His eyes narrowed.

"Problem, Fenton?"

Danny frowned slightly and let out a heavy sigh. He turned his head to look into the forest, trying to ignore the fact that now he was the one being stared at. His eyes glanced towards Tucker Foley, who sat on a rock next to his distraught father. Tucker exchanged glances for a moment, trying to force a weak smile of sympathy.

"This is your fault, freak."

Danny's head snapped back towards Dash, as did many of the others around the fire.

"What? Me? What are you…?" Danny began to protest.

Dash suddenly straightened his posture, glaring at Danny as his jaw tightened.

"They attacked because of you, Fenton. They always attack because of you. And now, they ruined everything, because of you!"

Danny lifted his hands up, exasperated.

"Whoa, Dash, wait. Who do you think tried to stop them…?"

"And you failed!" Dash spat back, now standing at his full height. He started marching towards Danny, who stood to prepare for the confrontation.

Dash grabbed Danny by the shirt and lifted him off the ground. Although his eyes were alert, Danny showed no fear. They both knew he had ghost powers, and could disable Dash instantly.

"Dash, please…" Danny sighed.

Dash's eyes began to well with tears again. "Why didn't they just kill you?"

As he dangled from Dash's grip, Danny was at a loss for words. He thought of everyone in their town who had not survived: friends, teachers, families. His family…

Desperate to get away, Danny's eyes began to flicker green. "Dash, please, just put me down."

With a sneer, Dash extended his arms and lifted him even higher. "Or what, you'll finish the job your ghost buddies started?"

"Dash!" a female voice rang out in shock.

Danny didn't take his eyes off Dash for a moment, but he knew that voice: Sam Manson. Realizing he was at the breaking point, Danny quickly transformed into his alter ego: Danny Phantom. He phased through Dash's grip and reappeared on the other side of the fire.

Now at a safe distance, Danny looked around at the faces before him. What he saw were expressions of fear, anger, and most of all, loathing. No one spoke up in his defense, or offered their support. Even Tucker averted his eyes as he consoled his father. The only person who met his gaze without anger was Sam. She stood next to her Grandmother, their hands clasped tightly together. Danny looked at her with pleading eyes, trying to find a single ally. They stared in silence, a few seconds feeling like hours. Sam opened her mouth, finally ready to speak, but then stopped short. She looked at the distraught faces around her, and then at her Grandmother's shaking hand. Sam quietly sat down, and glued her eyes to her feet.

Danny's face twisted with hurt and his shoulders dropped in shame. He barely even heard the sound of the rock that whistled an inch away from his head.

Snapping his attention back to Dash, he saw the star quarterback pick-up another rock to hurl. He had good aim; the odds of him missing again were low.

Danny grit his teeth and once again phased out, this time seconds before the rock sailed through him.

He flew off of the ground and raced through the forest, leaving the campsite in the distance. Still clinching his jaw, Danny flew through the trees, his eyes stinging from the cold wind and the hot tears that formed.

At the fire pit, everyone looked in all directions, trying to guess which way the phantom had escaped. Dash scoffed loudly at the sky. "Coward" he taunted as he shuffled away from the fire and into the brush.

As his hand sat comfortingly on his father's shoulder, Tucker searched the sky for his friend. He looked over at Sam, and sighed at the sight before him. Sam, normally so strong and determined, sat slumped on the ground, her shoulders heaving as she sobbed.


	2. Chapter 2

The day trudged on, and night began to fall. Tightly grouped around the dying fire, the remaining townsfolk tried in vain to formulate a plan. Over the past several hours, many had decided to venture into the woods alone, leaving roughly 30 people still at the campsite. It was clearly a losing battle, but a few sought to regain order.

"I still say we should try to go back into town at sunrise. Perhaps the ghosts have moved on…" one gentleman, Joaquin Sanchez interjected. His daughter, Paulina, sat next to him and cringed at the thought of returning.

Tucker's father, Donald Foley, furrowed his brow. "And I believe that is the worst thing we could do" he replied with an exhausted sigh. "We already decided to walk towards Elmerton and pray we find more people".

"That's what you decided, Don" a middle-aged woman interjected as she cradled her young son. "My husband could be alive under the rubble of our house. We have to go back". Her response caused several others to nod in support, and others to speak out in protest.

The debate began to heat up again, for the third or fourth time in so many hours. Leaning against a tree trunk away from the group, Sam shook her head as she watched.

_We're going to die here._

She suddenly heard the rustle of leaves, and her head snapped towards the sound. For a brief moment she allowed herself to hope…

"Manson, get over here"

Sam's face fell into a scowl when she saw who had approached her: Dash. "C'mon" he prodded with an impatient whisper as he slid back into the trees.

Sam hesitated, still furious at the role Dash played in Danny's exile. A glance back to the building argument at the campfire, however, motivated her to follow Dash's trail.

Pushing aside low hanging branches and stepping over tree roots, Sam carefully followed the sound of Dash's footsteps. She began to hear a whispered exchange as she approached a small clearing. Sam was vaguely aware she had made it through the brush, as the evening sky cast a heavy darkness all around. She could barely make out the forms of others nearby, but knew from the voices it was Tucker and Star.

Sam squinted as her eyes adjusted to the darkness, and took a step forward to get a better look at her companions. Unfortunately, that took her one step right into Paulina.

"Watch it!" Paulina hissed, but was quickly hushed by the others.

Regaining her balance, Sam jumped slightly as a calloused hand gently took her wrist. The figure leaned closer to her until their face was inches away. She could start to make out the smirk on their face.

"Are you sure I'm the one that needs glasses?" Tucker quipped.

Sam couldn't help but laugh lightly, relieved to know that she could still smile.

"Guys, we need to get serious" Valerie whispered " This is bad…"

Paulina scoffed "Thanks for update."

Valerie growled in response, but was interrupted by Star. "Don't fight" she pleaded "After listening to the others, I can't take anymore".

"We can all agree on that" Tucker added.

"They're going to get us all killed" Valerie muttered. Everyone nodded in agreement.

"So, what do you think we should do?" Sam asked, finally able to see everyone's faces.

Valerie thought for a moment, shaking her head. "I don't know" she admitted "I've always followed orders, not given them".

Everyone else remained silent, unsure of what to say.

Star spoke up, her voice quaking. "What if _they_ find us here?"

The others shivered at the thought, though Star was only saying what they had worried all along.

Paulina looked over at Sam and Tucker expectantly. "What?" Sam responded, raising an eyebrow.

"Uh, hello? You guys fight ghosts" Paulina sighed "You should know what to do".

Sam scoffed louder than she had intended, earning several looks.

"Does it look like we have anything to fight with?" she hissed. Tucker nodded slowly, his expression somber.

"Besides, Danny was always the man with the plan" he reminded.

Sam's face softened at this, her frustration with Paulina replaced with the shame that had plagued her all night.

Dash grunted in acknowledgement, though his eyes still burned with anger at the mention of Danny's name.

"Well, Fenton's not here" Dash grumbled "so what's plan B?"

Sam shook her head, gazing up into the night sky.

"No, we have to find him" she insisted.

Valerie shifted uncomfortably as she followed Sam's gaze upward.

"Girl, he's gone. Besides, having him around could…make things worse" she whispered sadly.

Tucker gave Valerie a disapproving glance, who only shrugged in response. He turned his attention to Sam, who bit her lip in frustration as she kept eyes fixed overhead. Arms crossed and hugging her frame, she suddenly started walking away from the group.

"Where are you…?" Tucker whispered, but was cut off as Sam quickly vanished into the brush.

Pushing her way through the branches, Sam marched towards the flickering light of the campfire. The site was surprisingly quiet, as many had finally given into exhaustion and fell asleep. Others sat in silence as they surveying the sky, looking for signs of an attack.

Sam walked around the sleeping figures on the ground towards the rock that her grandmother rested against. She knelt next to the older woman's frail form and buttoned her thick jacket all the way up. As she hastily fumbled with the buttons, her grandmother's hand rose and clasped Sam's. Sam raised her head and met the tired but kind eyes of her family's matriarch.

"Promise me you will be careful, Sammy" the old woman said with a thin smile. Sam's eyes widened in surprise. "How did…?" she started to ask, but stopped halfway. Her face relaxed as she lightly squeezed her grandmother's hand.

"I'll be back soon. Before the sun comes up" she assured.

Sam leaned in to kiss her grandmother's cold cheek, then rose to her feet. She offered a small smile before turning around and walking into the forest.

Winding through the trees, Sam kept her eyes fixed straight ahead until she could no longer hear the soft crackle of the fire. As soon as she knew she was out of her grandmother's sight, Sam dropped her smile and let out a shakey sigh. Feeling new tears begin to form, she blinked heavily as she looked all around her.

Each direction looked identical to the others; nothing but dark shadows and dense forest. Sam's eyes scanned the area a few times before settling on a rocky incline covered with thick trees. Her hands shook from the evening chill, or at least that's what she told herself.

Taking a deep breath and slowly letting it out, Sam began her uphill trek into the darkness.


	3. Chapter 3

A light mist enveloped the dimly lit forest, as the faintest light of dawn appeared in the horizon. Although grateful for a slight reprieve from the dark, Sam looked cautiously at the unsettling sight above. Rather than the beautiful array of oranges and pinks from sunrises past, the sky was tinted an eerie shade of green. Sam shivered subconsciously, suddenly feeling more alert. Despite her fear, she was struggling to overcome the extreme exhaustion that plagued her for the past hour or so. Having not slept since the attack, her deprivation was finally catching up to her.

Trudging through the dense brush, her eyes began to flutter involuntarily. She slowed her pace, allowing her head to drop to her chest as her eyelids fell.

SNAP!

Sam's head shot up, her eyes wide and her body poised to attack. Looking in all directions, she was unable to find the source of the sound. Realizing her heart was racing, Sam took a deep breath, and relaxed her body. There was no other sound, and she prayed she was alone.

She knew that she needed to rest, but that doing so in the open would leave her vulnerable to an attack. Until she could find a secure location, she would have to continue on.

Another hour passed without rest. Carefully making her way down into an embankment, Sam did everything she could to stay awake. She quietly sang to herself, forced her eyes open as wide as she could, and bit her tongue if her eyelids became too heavy. Even her feet began to betray her, becoming too heavy to lift as she maneuvered over rocks and tree roots.

On the verge of collapse, Sam knelt to one knee. Feeling a sob build in her chest, she knew she was at the breaking point. Exhausted, hungry, and cold, she felt nothing but pure desperation. Her thoughts drifted in all directions as she considered giving up and allowing her fate to be sealed. In this delusional state, even death seemed like a welcomed relief. She inhaled deeply through her nose, relishing what she feared could be her last few breaths. Her nostrils flared as she took in the scent of her surroundings.

Diesel?

Forcing her eyes open, she was surprised to see shards of glass covering the ground ahead of her. After struggling to her feet, Sam shuffled towards the shattered glass and followed it through the brush. On the other side, she saw a large dented pick-up truck toppled upside down. The hood of the truck was crumpled in and the windshield was broken. Sam cringed at the overpowering stench of gasoline as she glanced at a tire resting twenty feet away from the vehicle.

Startled by her discovery, Sam backed into the bushes. Reaching to the ground, she picked up a dense rock in her hand as she scanned the area. She inched towards the truck, keeping her eyes glued to the cab. Her arm that was holding the rock pulled back, ready to strike in an instant.

Gingerly placing a hand on the passenger side door, she pulled it open, having to struggle against the bent frame. She peered inside: nothing. There was lots of glass, and a few streaks of what she assumed was blood. The key was in the ignition, and the airbag has been deployed. Sam sighed in relief, glad that no one was inside.

She climbed into the cab, keeping her head down to avoid the seats above her. Looking for anything of interest, her eyes fell on a scattered wrapper. She began to search feverishly, finding more empty wrappers. As she dug her hand into the seat cushion above, her fingers grasped something hard. She yanked her hand out to reveal a wrapped peppermint candy.

Tearing the wrapper off, Sam hungrily drew the morsel into her mouth. She slid the small peppermint all around her tongue, enjoying the sweet, clean taste. As she devoured her prize, Sam shifted her weight and leaned against the back of the cab. It was a tight fit, but it felt wonderful to sit down.

As she finished her candy, Sam's attention fell on radio in the console. Wiping some light dirt off the display, she saw that it was a satellite radio system. She turned the knob, and heard only white noise play from the speakers. With a disappointed frown, she scanned the other stations, hoping to hear another being's voice. Perhaps she could find out how far the devastation had traveled.

She scanned through all of Amity Park's stations, but received nothing but static. She moved on to surrounding cities. Elmerton: silence. Timowin Village: the same. Panicking, she began to push more and more buttons, willing the radio to pick-up any signal.

"…casualties are unknown at this hour".

Sam scanned back, having passed the sudden successful reception.

"There are no emergency reports" the stoic male voice muttered "as we are unable to communicate with outside agencies. Most satellites are down, phone lines are dead. There is no telling how this started…or why…we can't even be sure anyone is hearing this."

Sam settled into the back of the cab, hope slowly fading from her eyes.

"Like everyone else, we are sitting here, waiting to see what happens."

SNAP!

Sam froze, her body shaking involuntarily. It was the same sound from before, this time outside of the cab. She leaned as far back as she could, eyes fixed on the shattered window before her. She was cornered; the only chance she had was to run.

SNAP!

Without thinking, Sam darted forward and dove through the broken windshield. Her adrenaline pumping, she didn't feel the glass slice her head and back as she slid through. She scrambling to her feet and ran from the wreckage, sensing a presence behind her. Sam knew she was being pursued.

Winding through the trees, she struggled to keep her pace. Her legs burned as she leapt over logs and rocks. She could hear deep breathing close behind, even over the sound of her own panting.

Attempting to brave a look over her shoulder, she tumbled forward as she lost her footing. Thrown to the ground, she skidded over rocks and into an ice-cold stream. Pain coursed through her body and Sam curled her knees into her chest.

_This is it…_

The next thing Sam felt was a burst of energy all around her. She could feel the pressure of the air, and an electric current run all the way down to her toes.

She knew this feeling.

Opening her eyes, she saw a flash of green and heard a loud collision. The presence that had been behind her was nowhere to be seen, but the familiar sounds of battle continued outside of her view. Rolling over to her side, Sam struggled to catch a glimpse of the altercation.

A final blast reverberated as another burst of light flashed through the trees. After a moment of dead silence, the sound of footsteps could be heard.

Sam's eyes locked onto the approaching figure. Her lips quivered slightly as she fought back the urge to cry and to smile.

"Danny…" she whispered.


	4. Chapter 4  Author's Note

Hi everyone!

Sorry of the long hiatus. Life has a knack for getting in the way of writing. :p

I am going to update this story soon (maybe by the end of the week).

Thank you to everyone who has left comments for this piece!


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